Automated air pillow dispenser

Abstract

A packaging material handling device is disclosed. The device includes a first pair of traction members configured for cooperatively engaging a chain of pre-inflated pillows from opposite sides thereof and being operable for driving the chain in the flow direction. The device further includes a second pair of traction members configured for cooperatively engaging the chain from opposite sides thereof. The second pair of traction members are spaced apart from the first pair of traction members along a flow direction and are operable for driving the chain in the flow direction. The first and second pairs of traction members are operable for holding the first and second portions of the chain during a breaking operation. The device further includes a breaking member disposed between the first and second pairs of traction members and movable against the chain across the flow direction in the breaking operation to break the chain for detaching the first portion from the second portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A packaging material handling device, comprising:
 a first traction mechanism, including: 
 first rotational traction portions arranged laterally with respect to each other on a first side of a chain region, and including
 a first opposed traction portion and a first staggered traction portion, each having a surface extending towards the chain region to engage the chain of preinflated pillows disposed in the chain region, each of the first rotational traction portions being spaced laterally from each other and defining a first gap between the surfaces thereof; 
 
 second rotational traction portions disposed laterally with respect to each other on a second side of the chain region, opposite from the first side, and including:
 a second opposed traction portion having a surface extending towards the chain region opposed to the first opposed traction portion surface across the chain region and in abutment therewith to form a pinched portion therebetween to cooperatively pinch the chain between the first and second opposed traction portions, and 
 a second staggered traction portion having a surface extending towards the chain region directly opposed to the first gap across the chain region and being spaced laterally from the second opposed traction portion and defining a second gap between the surfaces thereof, such that the first and second staggered portions cooperatively deform the chain in the chain region forming a non-pinched portion therebetween to tension the chain without breaking the inflated pillows; and 
 
 a second traction mechanism spaced longitudinally from the first traction mechanism and having traction portions disposed on opposite sides of the chain region, wherein the first and second traction mechanisms are operable for driving the chain longitudinally and holding the chain in the chain region during a breaking operation; 
 a breaking mechanism configured to break the chain held by the first and second traction mechanisms in the breaking operation between the first and second traction mechanisms and being operable. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second staggered traction portion rotates coaxially with the second opposed traction portion. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second traction mechanism includes:
 third traction portions disposed on the first or second side of the chain region and including a third opposed traction portion and a third staggered traction portion each having a surface extending towards the chain region to engage the chain of preinflated pillows disposed in the chain region, the third traction portions spaced laterally from each other and define a third gap between the surfaces thereof, the third traction portions extending toward the chain region to engage the chain in the chain region; 
 fourth traction portions disposed on the other of the first or second sides of the chain region, and including: a fourth opposed traction portion having a surface extending towards the chain region and being directly opposed to the third opposed traction portion across the chain region to cooperatively pinch the chain, and a fourth staggered traction portion having a surface extending towards the chain region directly opposed to the third gap across the chain region and being spaced laterally from the fourth opposed traction portion and defining a fourth gap between the surfaces thereof, such that the third and fourth staggered portions cooperatively deform the chain in the chain region to tension the chain without breaking the inflated pillows. 
 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second staggered portions are directly unopposed by traction portions that engage the chain. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first staggered traction portion is directly opposed to a gap between any of the second traction portions. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first traction portions comprise a plurality of first opposed traction portions, and the second traction portions comprise a plurality of second opposed traction portions, the surfaces of the first opposed traction portions being directly opposed to the surfaces of the second opposed traction portions to pinch the chain therebetween. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the first staggered portion comprises a plurality of first staggered portions each having separate surfaces from one another that are spaced laterally from each other to define a plurality of first gaps therebetween; and 
 the second staggered portion comprises a plurality of second staggered portions each having separate surfaces from one another that extend toward the chain region directly opposed to the plurality of first gaps across the chain region, and are spaced laterally from each other to define a plurality of second gaps therebetween; wherein the plurality of first staggered portions are directly opposed to the plurality of second gaps across the chain region such that the first and second staggered portions cooperatively deform the chain in the chain region to tension the chain without breaking the inflated pillows. 
 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first traction mechanism comprises a common first axle from which the traction portions extend towards the chain region. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the first traction mechanism comprises a common second axle from which the traction portions extend towards the chain region. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first gap has a transverse width that is sufficiently wider than the transverse width of the second staggered traction portion, such that the second staggered portion entirely faces the first gap across the chain region. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first opposed traction portions include a plurality of first opposed traction portions; the second opposed traction portions include a plurality of second opposed traction portions, each second opposed traction portion being directly opposed the first opposed traction portion; and the staggered traction portions are disposed laterally between opposed pairs of the first and second opposed traction portions. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 1 , further including a traction member motor drivingly associated with both the first and second traction mechanisms for causing rotation of the first and second traction mechanisms together at substantially a same speed. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first traction portions comprises rollers, and the gaps providing radially recessed areas. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the rollers have a surface made of an elastomeric material and disposed to engage and drive the chain. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the breaking system includes a breaking member disposed between the first and second traction mechanisms that is operable to break the chain in the breaking operation. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the breaking member includes a blade disposed between the first and second pairs of traction members and being movable against the chain across the flow direction in the breaking operation to break the chain for detaching the first portion from the second portion. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second support bars positioned on opposite sides of the breaking member along the direction of flow and on opposite sides of the chain, and spaced apart from each other and the blade at a distance so as to receive the blade therebetween and sufficiently close to support the chain in the chain region to localize stresses in the chain caused by the blade to facilitate the breaking of the chain during the breaking operation. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first staggered traction portion and the second staggered traction portion extend radially outward toward the film relative to each of their lateral adjacent areas. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the positions of the first staggered traction portion and the second staggered traction portion and the first gap and the second gap form an undulating path that the chain extends laterally across. 
     
     
       20. A packaging material handling device, comprising: a first traction mechanism, including:
 first rotational traction portions arranged laterally with respect to each other on a first side of a chain region, and including
 a first opposed traction portion and a first staggered traction portion, each having a surface extending towards the chain region and each comprising a roller to engage the chain of preinflated pillows disposed in the chain region, each of the first rotational traction portions being spaced laterally from each other and defining a first radially recessed area between the surfaces thereof; 
 second rotational traction portions disposed laterally with respect to each other on a second side of the chain region, opposite from the first side, and including:
 a second opposed traction portion having a surface extending towards the chain region opposed to the first opposed traction portion surface across the chain region and in abutment therewith to cooperatively pinch the chain between the first and second opposed traction portions, wherein the second opposed traction portion comprises a roller, and 
 a second staggered traction portion having a surface extending towards the chain region directly opposed to the first radially recessed area across the chain region and being spaced laterally from the second opposed traction portion and defining a second radially recessed area between the surfaces thereof, such that the first and second staggered portions cooperatively deform the chain in the chain region to tension the chain without breaking the inflated pillows, wherein the second staggered traction portion comprises a roller; and 
 a second traction mechanism spaced longitudinally from the first traction mechanism and having traction portions disposed on opposite sides of the chain region, wherein the first and second traction mechanisms are operable for driving the chain longitudinally and holding the chain in the chain region during a breaking operation; 
 a breaking mechanism configured to break the chain held by the first and second traction mechanisms in the breaking operation between the first and second traction mechanisms and being operable.